How the Osgoode Public Garden Grew

in 2002, the year after the OPG (Osgoode Public Garden) was installed, I sat on one of the garden benches and gazed upon the 4 pie shaped quadrants of the circular garden. There were crab apple trees and a very large pinkish boulder in the centre of the garden. It was formal enough without being too fussy. The quadrants were filled with day lillies. The large berm consisted of large crab apples, mountain ash, spruce, false spirea, potentilla, spirea and rose shrubs. Except for the highly invasive false spirea, these were all worthy plants. However, there was not much more variety than that; the garden seemed monotonous and corporate in style. The park boundary was a naked chain link fence and this was unfortunately part of the garden vista. That was where and when and why I decided to "grow" the OPG into a place of interest, fun, and beauty. My good friend Mary Ann Riley offered her gardening expertise and so began our partnership in the Osgoode Public Garden!

Mary Ann and I brought in huge loads of triple mix to create large berms around the circle garden. An artist/carpenter from Ottawa, André Gagnon and his brother, built the beautiful foot bridge.

Local nursuries donated plants but most plants were from Karen and Mary Ann's garden. Boulders were added to keep the landscape rustic.

Karen